Goodnight
by Duckyumbrella
Summary: ...That I shall say goodnight til it be morrow... This story comes after my other story, Bittersweet, and I'd recommend reading that one first so you understand what's going on.
1. Chapter 1

This story is connected to my other story, Bittersweet, so you might wanna read that one first just to get the gist of the events and what exactly is going on here:)

Thanks out to ps9906 and Melissa630 for their reviews on the final chapter of Bittersweet! You're the best!:)

The song lyrics are from the song 'Goodnight Goodnight' by Maroon 5. And no, I don't own them either.

So without further ado...

* * *

**Goodnight**

**Part 1**

_You left me hanging from a thread we once swung from together  
I've lick my wounds but I can't ever see them getting better  
Something's gotta change  
Things cannot stay the same_

He couldn't believe it. It had happened so fast.

The rain had been hammering on his windshield, the thin black windshield wipers furiously slashing back and forth, when suddenly he couldn't control the car.

The tires slid across the slick road, and he felt the wheels hit the bumpy grass on the side of the road. He turned the steering wheel sharply to the left and suddenly felt the car tip on two wheels.

His head cracked against the driver's window… and that was all he remembered.

Now he found himself looking at the crash from outside the car, watching the rain continue to pound on the drenched policemen and paramedics as they scurried around the accident scene; heard the thunder crash and the wailing sirens fill the chilly autumn air, watched as the flashlights and emergency blinkers cut through the murky dark.

He saw his own body being laid on a stretcher and the paramedics poke and prod him. One of the medics shook her head, and they covered him with a blanket and carried him away.

He saw the chief of police walk up to a pedestrian car on side of the road. Dread clouded the face of the blond woman in the driver's seat as she took in the crash scene in front of her. He could practically see her heart breaking through her horror-stricken blue eyes, and saw her son's freckled hand reach from the back seat to grip his mother's hand, as if it were his lifeline.

He wanted to run over them, wrap his arms around them, and never let go. He yearned to comfort them, and promise them that everything would be alright. He longed to wipe away the tears from the woman's anguished face, and shield the young boy from the painful reality that threatened to crush his innocence.

Suddenly, he began to rise off the ground, passing by the tallest trees, up toward the thunderous storm clouds. "No wait! I can't leave yet!" He cried desperately as he found himself quickly leaving the car crash beneath him.

He passed through the clouds up to the stars, which he quickly passed by. He soon found himself standing in front of a pair of large golden gates, resting gently on a white fluffy cloud. He turned around, but saw nothing but stars behind him.

"What just happened? Where am I?" He closed his eyes to collect his thoughts. "It couldn't be that I'm… No! That is not possible… but…"

A small hand rested on his arm, and he turned to find himself looking at a pretty young woman, who was wearing a long white gown to cover her slender frame. Her reddish-brown hair fell down her back in soft waves, and her large blue eyes were filled with empathy.

"Do you remember what happened?" she asked gently. He looked between the woman, the gates, and back again.

"I think…" Win Frayne whispered softly, then stopped, as if speaking the words would turn the nightmare into reality. Something in the woman's eyes gave him the strength to say the dreaded words aloud. "I think I just died."

* * *

That was the first verse. Now you can probably understand why this story should be on it's own because it's a bit different from Bittersweet.

Reviews are very welcome!:)


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks so much for the reviews from 24QueenMo, ps9906, Mylee, Felicia Baca, and Melissa630. I can't thank you all enough for all your feedback and support!:)

All words in italics(excluding the music lyrics) are the person's thoughts. Just wanted to point that out.:)

On with the story!:)

* * *

**Goodnight**

**Part 2**

_Her hair was pressed against her face, her eyes were red with anger  
Enraged by things unsaid and empty beds and bad behavior  
Something's gotta change  
It must be rearranged, oh_

Katie Frayne was mad at the world. She was irritated at the birds outside in the trees for chirping a little end-of-spring tune. She was annoyed by the bright sunlight streaming through her window, the oven timer buzzing, and the size of her 9 month pregnant belly.

Her back was too sore to do the simple tasks of doing laundry and changing the sheets on the beds. Katie had just finished tucking in the quilt on the master bed before laying her swollen, achy body on the cushiony mattress.

Watching the ceiling fan whirl around and around, she slowly let out a sigh. She wasn't truly mad at the whole world. She was just angry with fate, who had taken her beloved husband away from her just eight months before.

_Oh Win! Why did you have to go?_ Katie choked back a sob. A shot of pain raced through her body.

"I wish you could have met your father, little baby." Katie spoke softly to her unborn child, resting a gentle hand on her outstretched stomach. "Your daddy was very smart. He was always top of his class, but he was always so modest about it." Katie chuckled, "Well, sometimes…"

Another flash of pain stabbed her. Katie ignored it as she continued to speak to her child. "Your dad was very funny, and had a stubborn streak a mile wide. He also had a bit of a temper on him, but he couldn't control that. The red hair made him do it."

Katie laughed as she rested her head back on the pillows. "But your daddy was always such a sweetheart to me. We had become good friends before we started dating. I remember how on our very first date, he gave me a dozen pink roses. He said that the roses reminded him of me; soft, sweet, and gentle all around, but could still defend herself with the thorns. Roses have been my favorite flower ever since."

Katie sighed happily as she let her mind drift back into memory land, disregarding the growing pain in her body. "Your older brother is a carbon copy of your father, both in personality and in looks. Jimmy does so well in school, and he's very mature for his age. He has so much potential to become whatever he puts his mind to. My little Jimmy makes me proud every day. Although he's not so little anymore, now is he?"

A wave of sadness washed through her. "Jimmy has had to grow up a lot in the last couple months. I wish that he could have kept his childhood innocence for a little while longer." A tear escaped down her cheek. "I wish I could bring my babies their daddy back."

A blinding burst of pain exploded through her then, causing Katie to audibly suck in her breath. _Oh no!! It's not happening now is it?! Oh Win! I need you!_ She slowly raised herself into an upright sitting position and reached for the cordless phone on the bedside table.

Shaky fingers dialing the familiar number, it only rang twice before her neighbor answered, "Helen, can you give me a ride to the hospital? The baby's coming!"

* * *

_I'm sorry, I did not mean to hurt my little girl  
It's beyond me, I cannot carry the weight of the heavy world  
So goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight  
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight  
Goodnight, hope that things work out all right, yeah  
Whoa_

Win Frayne had been watching his loved ones from his home in the clouds for nearly a year now. Sometimes he would watch from up above, in the large golden gazebo overlooking the Milky Way.

Up in his new home, Win was in the company of Danielle Regan, the young woman who had greeted him when he had first arrived. Back on Earth, Win had known Danielle's brother and son, Bill and Dan.

The two watched over their friends and family in Sleepyside, although they couldn't contact them in any way. They could however go down to Earth and follow the living around, going places with them, or when they thought that those down on Earth needed them the most.

Ever since she was born, Win had been watching over his baby daughter, Julie. He had been with his wife when she gave birth, was sitting in the backseat when Katie drove Julie home from the hospital. And every night, he would stand over Julie, listening to her quiet, even breathing, listening to her heart beating softly.

_She looks more like an angel than I do_ Win thought with a sad chuckle, wanting nothing more than to scoop her into his arms and hold her forever. He looked into her innocent face, and felt a sharp pang of guilt. This sweet child didn't have a father to hold her, and tell her that things would work out alright.

"I'm so sorry, Julie." Win whispered softly.

After a little while the infant began to wail. To Win Frayne's surprise, it was his 10 year old son Jim who came rushing in and picked up the baby. Win sat back on the window seat and watched as the boy gently rocked his sister back and forth, whispering soothing words to quiet her cries.

His tall, still boyish frame slowly swayed in the soft light of the lamp as Julie's cries turned to whimpers. Win studied his son's face. He saw the fatigue that left darkened circles under his eyes.

Jim's wide impish grin that Win had remembered had been transformed into a twitch on the side of his mouth as the boy's clouded dark green eyes watched Julie's twinkling aquamarine orbs slowly close.

Gently, Jim placed Julie back in the crib and silently backed out of the room. _Jim is playing the part of the adult, when he is merely a child himself! _Win thought, a mixture of guilt and pride welling in his chest.

A crash came from the hallway. Win raced out of the room to find Jim picking himself off the floor, clutching his arm and grimacing in pain. Win had never felt so helpless as he followed his son back into his bedroom.

"I can't bother Mom with this. I just can't." Win heard Jim whisper to himself fiercely, his voice tight in suppressed pain. "Oh Jim, my son," Win whispered back, knowing that Jim couldn't hear him.

Win cast an unfelt arm around the boy's shoulders. "I did not mean to hurt you. I'm sorry…"

* * *

I don't own these charactors, these lyrics or the band who sings these lyrics. Obviously.

The line 'weight of a heavy world' in the chorus of the song is what inspired Goodnight, what with it being so close to the title of the short story in Bittersweet, 'Weight of the World'.

Review please!:)


	3. Chapter 3

I'd like to thank ps9906, Mylee, Melissa630, and Felicia Baca for their wonderful reviews! It's your lovely feedback that keeps me writing!:)

So here's the story! Enjoy!:)

* * *

**Goodnight**

**Part 3**

_The room was silent as we all tried so hard to remember  
The way it feels to be alive  
The day that he first met her  
Something's gotta change  
Things cannot stay the same_

"That was a fun party!" Danielle Regan commented as she and Win Frayne returned from their latest trip to Sleepyside.

"Yeah," Win answered, "I still can't believe Katie just turned 40! It seems like just yesterday was the day we met, when she was a sophisticated 15 year old and I was at that immature age of 13." Win chuckled softly as he remembered the days of his youth.

"You never did tell me how the two of you met." Danielle said, sitting down on a sleek golden bench.

"Well let's see," Win put his hands behind his head as he leaned back against the bench, his emerald eyes distant as he searched into his memories, "It all started one afternoon when my friend Matt and I were pulling this prank…"

***********

"This is going to work perfectly!" 13 year old Matt Wheeler exclaimed, his blue eyes twinkling in mirth as he steadied the bucket filled with baby blue paint on top of the slightly ajar door. After making sure the bucket wasn't going to fall, Matt joined his friend behind the large potted plant to wait for their unfortunate victim to pass through.

"Yeah I guess it will work… but isn't this prank a bit… childish? I mean come on! A bucket on a door, ready to fall on the person walking through? Lamest trick in the book, especially for people with our pranking expertise." Win Frayne shook his red head in mock sadness before adding, "You are losing your devious touch, my friend."

The two teenagers were in the now-deserted hallway of their boarding school, Elmwood Heights, where they had attended since they were both five. The boys had earned quite a reputation for pulling pranks and causing mischief within the walls of Elmwood Heights, yet both boys were still top of their classes. Win's father was the headmaster at the boarding school, which until a couple years before had been a school primarily for boys.

Matt rolled his eyes at his red-haired friend. "It was the only thing I could put together on such short notice, alright? It was just this morning that I saw Randy Sullivan kissing Madeline Hart in the school courtyard, and I had to take immediate action to make sure he knows that she's mine! He was lucky that a group of teachers were nearby or I would've socked him!" His face flushed red in anger just thinking about the incident, challenging the deep red of his hair.

Win chuckled at his friend's expense. "Madeline Hart is yours, is she? You've got it so bad for that girl, and she doesn't even know that you exist!"

Win was oblivious to the piercing glare his friend was sending him, "I say that you should forget about that chick. Madeline is a rich, stuck-up, spoiled brat, and thinks that your name is 'Mark Wheelbarrow', despite correcting her multiple times."

Matt Wheeler was about to retort when the boys heard the sharp clacking of shoes on marble approaching from the other side of the door. Twin smirks cut across their freckled faces as they envisioned the paint pouring down onto their victim's head. "Here comes Randy!" Matt whispered in excited anticipation.

The person on the other side pushed open the door, sending the bucket tumbling down, spilling the contents all over the person in the doorway.

A high-pitched shriek emitted from the painted figure, as the person dropped their books and swiped blue goop from their eyes. A pair of furious hazel eyes shot sparks at the two redheads, who had emerged from their hiding place.

"Mark Wheelbarrow, how DARE you! Look what you've done to me!" Madeline Hart shrieked as baby blue paint dribbled down her honey-colored hair.

Win elbowed his shell-shocked friend and whispered quietly, "I think she knows you exist now."

Matt ignored his friend, too busy trying to figure out how to save his chances with Madeline. "I'll go get some towels!" he cried before running down the hall in the opposite direction, leaving Win to deal with the distressed girl.

"Look at me! My clothes, my hair…" Madeline moaned as she tried to wring paint out of her long hair. Carefully, she stepped out of the growing baby blue puddle and kicked off her paint-filled ballerina flats in the corner. Win ran a hand through his thick red hair, unsure of what to say.

It was then that Win became aware of a tinkling laugh coming from the doorway. Standing there behind the mess was a thin girl with wavy blond hair falling halfway down her back. She was dressed in the girl's school uniform; a red and green plaid skirt and a crisp white t-shirt.

Crystal blue eyes twinkled in merriment as one slender hand covered her mouth to keep the giggles from escaping. Win had never seen this girl before in his entire life, but there was something in her lovely face, in her beautiful laugh, that made Win's heart beat a little faster.

"Have we met before?" Win began, wincing at his own cheesy pick-up line.

The girl shook her head and smiled shyly. "I doubt it." She said with just a hint of a foreign accent, "I'm an exchange student from Holland, and I just arrived here yesterday."

Win nodded, before sticking out his hand, "The name's Winthrop Frayne, but friends call me Win. I'm glad Madeline got coated in paint instead of you." The girl laughed, and both teens ignored Madeline's enraged reply.

The girl shyly grasped Win's hand and shook it. "Katje Vanderheiden, but friends call me Katie." She looked up the extra six inches into Win's emerald green eyes, "You've got some paint in your hair."

* * *

Randy Sullivan and Danielle Regan are my own charactors, but I don't own anyone else. Darn:(

Reviews are very welcome!:)


	4. Chapter 4

Big thank yous out to ps9906, Mylee, Melissa630, 24QueenMo, and Felicia Baca for their wonderful reviews! You guys are just perfectly perfect!:)

Just two more chapters after this, so enjoy!:)

* * *

**Goodnight**

**Part 4**

_You make me think of someone wonderful, but I can't place her  
I wake up every morning wishing one more time to face her  
Something's gotta change  
It must be rearranged, oh_

Win smiled softly as he watched his son and daughter playing in the vast flower-spotted field behind Ten Acres, their laughter ringing in his ears like tinkling bells in a high church tower.

His wife was seated on the porch, laughing along with her children's antics as she continued to knit a red sweater. _Beautiful, as always,_ Win thought, taking in Katie's twinkling blue eyes, her shy smile, the locks of her long blond hair swaying in the light spring breeze.

"She's lonely." A voice came from behind him.

Win turned as Danielle joined him at the wall of the gazebo, overlooking the galaxy below them. "Katie still misses you like crazy, and she's felt even more down in the dumps now that Jim's departure for college is mere months away. I think the others have hinted to Katie that she should start dating again, but I think she's not quite sure she's ready for that."

There was silence as Win began to observe things in his wife that he had turned a blind eye to over the past six years. He noticed the clouded sadness deep within her clear blue eyes. He saw that the laughter wrinkles he had always teased her about had disappeared from the corners of her eyes.

Katie's infectious smile had transformed into a soft, closed-lip grin that didn't quite reach her eyes. Her cheeks weren't blushed rosy pink, and she had gotten thinner. _A bit too thin_, Win thought, as he noticed her pull the quilt tighter around herself as the cool breeze sent a shiver down her tiny frame.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to watch Katie date again either." Win stated, his eyes never leaving his angel on earth. "But Katie needs someone to be with, and since I can't be there…"

Win shut his emerald green eyes tightly and spit out the next words with noticeable effort. "We have to let each other go." He exhaled a long, pent-up sigh as he ran a hand through his thick red hair. Danielle wove her arm through Win's and clasped his hand, silently offering comfort.

"That's a very tough decision to make, Win." Danielle whispered softly, "I'm proud of you."

Win opened his eyes and turned to the younger woman. Emerald eyes bright and misty, Win choked out huskily, "Loving someone is setting them free, letting them go. Letting go doesn't mean giving up, but rather accepting that there are things that cannot be."

Staring out into the black velvet sky, Win continued, "True love doesn't have a happy ending, because true love never ends. Letting go is one way of saying I love you. Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage. Some think it's holding on that makes one strong; sometimes it's letting go."

* * *

_I'm sorry, I did not mean to hurt my little girl  
It's beyond me, I cannot carry the weight of a heavy world  
So goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight  
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight  
Goodnight, hope that things work out all right_

He watched her sleeping figure from the bedroom window, the faint moonlight casting a milky blue glow over her slender face. She slept on her back, her hands folded together on her chest, long blond hair spilling across the crisp white pillow.

After his conversation and decision with Danielle earlier that afternoon, Winthrop Frayne had come down to earth to talk to Katie, to finally let her move on. Walking over to the bed, Win lay down beside his wife and turned on one side, one hand holding hers while his lips gently brushed against her ear.

For most every angel coming back to earth to see the living, there was some force that made them unable to communicate with the living in any way. The only exception is if two people had had a special connection on earth, then to some degree, the dead could communicate with the one still living.

Katie and Win had had that connection, as Win had soon found out. Katie was the only one who could truly feel his presence in a room, and she was the only one who heard Win whispering in her dreams.

She would wake up thinking that she had had a dream from a memory of Win, but this wasn't always the case. Many a night Win had spent curled up next to her in bed, crooning soft nothings in her ear, casting an unfelt arm around her and resting his head beside hers, feeling her blond hair tickle his cheek.

This would be the last night he would sleep with her. After tonight, she would move on. He would see to that.

"Katie," Win breathed her name, seeing a slight smile curve on her peaceful face, "As I look back on all that's happened..growing up, growing together, changing you, changing me -- there were times when we dreamed together, when we laughed and cried together. As I look back on those days, I realize how much I truly miss you and how much I truly love you."

A lump rose in Win's throat, "The past may be gone forever..and whatever the future holds, our todays make the memories of tomorrow. So, my lifetime friend, it is with all my heart that I send you my love, hoping that you'll always carry my smile with you, for all we have meant to each other and for whatever the future may hold."

Tears filled his eyes, "This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life."

_It's impossible to tell the woman you love to move on without you,_ he thought. Win choked out the next lines, "Let go. Why do you cling to pain? There is nothing you can do about the wrongs of yesterday. It is not yours to judge. Why hold on to the very thing which keeps you from hope and love? The reason it hurts so much to separate is because our souls are connected."

Tears now ran freely down Win's cheeks as he saw worry lines form on Katie's forehead. _I didn't mean to hurt you, Katie_… "When you smiled you had my undivided attention. When you laughed you had my urge to laugh with you. When you cried you had my urge to hold you. When you said you loved me, you had my heart forever. When you miss me just look up to the night sky and remember, I'm like a star; sometimes you can't see me, but I'm always there."

A crystal tear escaped down Katie's face, trailing down her porcelain white cheek into the collar of her shirt. Win forced himself to go on. "You never leave someone behind, you take a part of them with you and leave a part of yourself behind. The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother. I want you all to be happy, Katie. I love you all too much to see you upset."

Wiping tears from his face, Win finished off with, "So go find someone new, babe. Someone to laugh with and cry with and share your deepest secrets with. You know when you have found your prince because you not only have a smile on your face but in your heart as well. Find someone that makes you happy. Only then will I be happy too."

"While you were the whole story to my life, I was merely a chapter of your life. Don't you think it's time to turn the page and see what the next chapter holds?"

Slowly, Win got off the bed and stood over Katie, the woman he loved more than anything in the universe. He kneeled down beside the bed and planted a feather-light kiss on her lips. "I love you, Katie Frayne. Always have, always will. And I know that you will always love me too. But it's time to let go."

With that said, Win slowly backed up toward the window, never taking his eyes off the lovely woman asleep in her bed. "Goodnight! Goodnight! Parting is such sweet sorrow. That I shall say goodnight til it be morrow." Win quoted softly to the night, as he disappeared into the moonlight gazing through the window.

*****************

The next day Katie Frayne walked up the Lynch Estate. "Katie! You're here." her friend Caroline Lynch greeted her, "There's someone I want you to meet."

Caroline quickly led her friend to the den, where Mr. Lynch was conversing with a tall man with thin black hair, which was just beginning to gray at the temples. Seeing the women enter, the two men stood up, giving Katie a view of the man's laughing blue eyes that jumped out against his tanned skin.

"Katie," Mrs. Lynch began, "This is my brother, Monty Wilson." And for the first time in quite a while, Katie's smile reached her heart.

* * *

I must have spent two hours looking up quotes for Win to say to Katie! I snuck a few quotes into this chapter, the perfect one being the most famous of the bunch: "Goodnight! Goodnight! Parting is such sweet sorrow. That I shall say goodnight til it be morrow." I swear William Shakespeare sat at his desk all those years ago, quill in hand, and said, "Someday in the future, there will be a person who enjoys writing about bob whites in need of the perfect quote for the man to say to his wife. I know! I'll think up the perfect quote just for her and her story!"

And he did, inadvertently making it a very famous quote that the silly person didn't even think of using until she found in on a website while searching for quotes dealing with 'letting go'. Mr. Shakespeare, if you were still around today I would bring you a plate of chocolate chip cookies to thank you for writing the most perfectly perfect quote just for me!:) lol so anways...

Review please!:)


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks so much to ps9906, Melissa630, Mylee, and Felicia Baca for their lovely reviews! You're too kind to me!:)

Second last chapter! This chapter is pretty short, but the last one will be much much longer:)

This story skips ahead quite a bit in time...:)

* * *

**Goodnight**

**Part 5**

_So much to love  
So much to learn  
But I won't be there to teach you, oh  
I know I can be close  
But I try my best to reach you_

"Michael Fends!" The man read out to the crowd, who instantly responded with a burst of loud cheers for the blond boy making his way to the podium on stage. The 17 year old shook hands and accepted the diploma that was handed to him, before walking off the stage and rejoining his classmates.

The group of students in midnight black gowns and caps were congregated in the front corner of the auditorium of Sleepyside Junior-Senior High, while their friends and relatives filled the auditorium's capacity to its limits.

"I still can't believe it!" Katie Frayne Wilson said to her husband, "I can't believe my baby girl is graduating from high school already! It seems like just yesterday I was sitting here at Jim's high school graduation. Now my Jimmy is engaged to be married and my daughter is going off to college!"

Katie sighed softly and leaned against Monty, who wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Where does the time fly?" She whispered quietly to no one in particular.

"That's just what I was wondering." Win Frayne answered her, knowing fully that Katie hadn't been talking to him and she couldn't hear him anyway.

Ever since Katie had married Monty Wilson all those years ago, the connection with Win had grown weaker and weaker. While she could still sometimes sense his presence in the evening breeze or on a sunny day, Katie no longer heard his voice whispering to her every night.

"Juliana Frayne!" the man called. The crowd of people cheered for the lovely young woman stepping up to the stage, her cheeks rosy pink and a smile brightening her face as she offered a shy wave toward the part of the crowd where her family and friends were seated.

A chorus of Bob-white whistles came from the group of seven seated in the row ahead of Katie, who was fiercely dabbing her eyes with Monty's handkerchief. Even Win felt emotional as he watched his beautiful daughter gracefully glide across the stage to accept her diploma.

The ceremony had just ended and friends and family were spilling out into the parking lot. Many tears were shed as people wished their former classmates the best of luck and to stay in touch as one by one they separated to begin the summer.

Katie broke away from the others and cut her way through the thinning crowd to catch up with Julie. "Congratulations, sweetheart." Katie said, dropping a kiss on Julie's forehead.

Tears steadily streaming down her cheeks, Katie wrapped her arms around her daughter, who was now as tall as she, "We are so proud of you, Julie."

Win walked up next to them and placed a gentle hand on Julie's shoulder. Softly, he whispered, "We all are."

* * *

So yeah that's really short:) but this chapter didn't really fit in with the previous chapter or the following chapter. This one was just kind of a bridge between the two.

Blame the annoying lyrics and my imagination for having to skip so many years!

Reviews are very much appreciated!:)


	6. Chapter 6

Big thanks out to ps9906, Felicia Baca, and Mylee for their awesome reviews! You guys have supported me from the very beginning and I can't tell you how much I have appreciated your reviews and feedback. I can't thank you enough for that!:)

So this is the final chapter of Goodnight. All words in italics (excluding the lyrics at the beginning and the final line of lyrics at the end) are someone's thoughts.

Now it is with great pleasure that I bring you...

* * *

**Goodnight**

**Part 6**

_I'm so sorry, I did not mean to hurt my little girl  
It's beyond me, I cannot carry the weight of a heavy world  
So goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight  
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight  
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight  
Goodnight…_

The organ's melody rang through the large pristine church. Ribbons and flowers draped the silky wooden pews that were filled to the brim with family and friends alike.

Sauntering down the aisle was the flower girl, wearing a dress in the softest shade of green, chocolate-brown curls cascading down her back in soft ringlets. Tossing the last of the pink and red rose petals into the air, the small child ran up the steps of the alter and into her mother's arms.

The bridesmaids' long, silky dresses were the same shade of green as that of the flower girl's, a sharp contrast to the crisp black tuxes each groomsman wore.

The groom was anxiously watching the church's entrance at the other end of the wide aisle, his heart pounding a million miles a minute. The mother of the bride sat in the front row, already weeping softly into a lace handkerchief. With a final chord, the organ switched over to the bridal march…

"Should I do this? I don't know if I should do this. Should I do this?" Juliana Frayne fretted before her big entrance, nervously pacing back and forth in the church corridor. Her bridesmaids had already begun to waltz into the church, so caught up in their own role in the production that they were entirely oblivious to the panicking bride.

The sharp click of her heels on the marble floor stopped as a strong pair of hands came to rest on her shoulders, halting her movements. She looked up into the brilliant blue eyes of her step-father, Monty Wilson.

"Julie, you love this boy, right?" Monty asked gently. "With all my heart." Julie answered immediately.

"And he makes you happy?" Monty pried. "Very happy." Julie said, a soft smile misting her aquamarine eyes.

"And would you be happy spending the rest of your life with him?" Monty questioned, closely watching her reaction. A brilliant smile brightened Julie's face as she answered, "There's no one else I'd rather spend every second of every day with."

Win Frayne watched the exchange from nearby, his green eyes wet and misty. His daughter looked so beautiful in her mother's dress; the lacey white torso perfectly fitting Julie's slender frame, the way her golden hair fell over her thin shoulders, partially covered by a long white veil.

Small porcelain hands reached up to drape the translucent veil over her face, barely disguising the joy that shot through her body like an electric current. _She's just like her mother…_ Win thought, his heart silently breaking.

The beginning chords of the bridal march floated into the corridor where the three were standing. Win watched as Monty Wilson held out an arm and said, "Shall we then?"

Julie smiled brightly and nodded, "We shall!" She slipped her left arm through Monty's right… and Win, standing proud on the other side of Julie, slipped his left arm through her right.

Nothing on Heaven or Earth would stop Win from walking his little girl down the aisle.

***************

The trio marched down the aisle, arm in arm. The wedding guests, as one, turned to watch the bride. Win looked around at the plethora of familiar faces that had wrinkled and transformed with time.

A flash of red on the bride's side proved to be his best friend Matt Wheeler, who stood tall and proud with one arm slinked around his wife, Madeline. Madeline daintily dabbed at her wide hazel eyes with a handkerchief before turning back to the proceedings.

Win looked over at the groom's family, where a familiar dark-haired man stood with his wife and two daughters. _Oh the irony of it all!_ Chuckled Win. _I can't believe that out of all the people in the world, Julie is getting married to Alex Sullivan, Randy Sullivan's son! Matt must be getting a kick out of this! I really should've thanked Randy. I mean, it was because of him that Katie and I first met…_

Win's emerald gaze moved over to the tall young man standing at the alter, his dark brown eyes twinkling with joy as he watched his bride stride down the aisle. _Alex is a good kid_, Win reflected,_ He'll make my daughter happy._

A grin spread across Win's face, _Of course, Jim warning Alex of what would happen if he did hurt Julie helped put me at ease a bit… _Thinking of his eldest, Win turned his gaze from the groom to the best man, who was watching the ceremony with a sentimental smile.

***************

Jim Frayne was feeling his 35 years of age as he watched his little sister proceed down the aisle. _25 years. My baby sister is barely 25 years old and she's already getting married. Wasn't it just yesterday when I saw her for the first time in the hospital? Where does the time go?_

Jim glanced over at the groom, who seemed to be mesmerized by the woman striding down the aisle. Jim had been wary of Alex Sullivan at first; Jim didn't want to see his baby sister hurt. But over the years, Alex had proved time and time again that he wanted the same thing that Jim wanted; for Julie to be happy.

Jim watched as Monty led the beautiful bride down the aisle, and was slightly saddened by the image. The picture painted in front of him was wrong, or at least not the portrait of perfection it should have been.

As fond as Jim was of his step-father, Jim couldn't help but remember…_ If only Dad was here to walk her down the aisle…_ Jim felt a small pang in his heart. Even after 25 years, it still hurt Jim to think about his father._ You would be so proud of her, Dad. She has grown into a wonderful person._

Unbeknownst to Jim, his father could see the unspoken statement through Jim's emerald eyes. His own emerald orbs glowing with pride, Win whispered, "I am proud, Jim. Proud of your sister, your mother, and you. For everything you had to go through 25 years ago and everything you've done before and since."

"I've watched you all grow older and wiser with each passing day, and I got to share those adventures with you, if only from a distance. I couldn't be more proud of you all."

Monty, Julie, and Win finally reached the alter. Lifting the veil off her face, Monty kissed Julie softly on the cheek and walked back over to his seat beside Katie.

Win stood at the alter a moment longer, taking in the beaming faces of two young lovers. He watched as Alex tenderly took Julie's hand in his, squeezing it gently. Repeating Monty's gesture, Win kissed his daughter softly on the cheek. "I love you, Julie." Win murmured into her ear, before gently unraveling his arm from hers.

****************

"… You may kiss the bride." The priest announced. Julie and Alex passionately kissed, and the crowd went ecstatic. As the bride and groom walked down the aisle, their smiles wide and eyes bright, Win felt a small pang in his heart.

_First Katie, then Jim, and now Julie._ _They all have someone to be with them when times get tough, someone to comfort them when they are sad, and someone to cherish each precious moment with. They don't need me to watch over them anymore._

With a sad sigh, Win came to his conclusion. _If I want them to completely move on in life, it means that I have to move on too._ Win took one last glance at the people now assembled outside the church.

His beautiful Katie, a smile brightening her tear-stained face, had one arm wrapped around Monty Wilson.

His baby daughter Julie waved from the window of the limousine as it pulled away from the curb, her wedding ring sparkling in the sunlight.

His fully-grown son Jim, waving back at the retreating pair, seemed to glance in Win's direction for just a second before turning back to the retreating limo.

Watching the scene unfold in front of him, Win whispered a quote he had heard long ago, "If I never met you, I wouldn't like you. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't love you. If I didn't love you, I wouldn't miss you. But I did, I do, and I will."

And with that, Win broke away from his final connection to earth, leaving the little blue and green planet and the people would lived on it for the last time. After 25 years of watching over his family, Winthrop Frayne was finally letting go. His job of watching over them was done.

*******************

A soft, cool breeze brushed past Katie, sending a strange shiver down her spine. It was as if something had left her, something she had subconsciously been aware of but never truly understood.

She tried to shake off the feeling and focus back on the wedding. Julie had looked beautiful in her old wedding dress. "She looks like an angel on Earth." Monty had commented after the ceremony.

A sentimental smile flickered across her face. _That's what Win always used to call me… _she remembered.

_You were there, weren't you, Win?_ Katie wondered, _Watching Julie's wedding. Nothing on Heaven or Earth could've kept you away from your daughter. You have watched over Julie and all of us all this time. And every day since the day we met, there was something I forgot to say._

_Thank you. Thank you for being my knight in shining armor, my crying shoulder, my first true love. Thank you for my two beautiful children, my wonderful husband, and all the little miracles you have sent my way as you watched over us for the past 25 years._

A lone tear traced down Katie's face as she whispered softly to the wind, "I love you, Win Frayne. Always have, always will. I'll never forget you." Katie wiped the tear from her cheek and continued to stare off into the distance.

"… Don't want to be late for the reception." Monty's voice cut through Katie's fog. "Are you ready to go, Katie?" Pushing the odd feeling out of her mind, Katie answered, "Yes I'm ready. Let's go." Hand in hand, the two walked toward their car, the momentary sensation forgotten.

*******************

Jim had been waving to his sister when he saw a flash of red in the corner of his eye. Turning slightly, Jim saw a soft flash, like that of a camera, before a cool breeze raised goose bumps on his arms.

_I must've seen Mr. Wheeler or Regan_, Jim thought with uncertainty, turning back to the retreating limousine. _I couldn't have possibly seen… No, of course not!_ Jim tried to push the thought to the back of his mind.

His thoughts quickly returned to the man whom he'd been thinking a lot about today; his dad. Jim remembered that dreadful night of his father's death like it was yesterday, and the endless days of lonely despair that had followed. In that time, Jim's world had turned dark, hopelessness invading his soul and causing the future to look very bleak.

Then Jim remembered as little by little, his world had become a bit brighter; the long shadows of doubt no longer the monsters of the night but the darkened corners of the future that hadn't yet been discovered. The future had become much brighter as he held onto the unconscious knowledge that his father was always watching over him.

Tears clouding his bright emerald eyes, Jim murmured, "I guess, in the end, things worked out alright. I love you, Dad."

…_hope that things work out all right, yeah…_

**The End**

* * *

Now that I have fallen in love with these characters, I really want to write more with them and try to fill in the empty spaces over that 25 year period and before and after! I would actually give the other BWGs more than a paragraph per story:) Perhaps I will extend this universe and create more stories of the young BWGs. Hmmm… endless possibilities await! Guess it will depend on the feedback I receive!:)

Why did Julie get married to Alex Sullivan? Because I wanted to bring back Randy Sullivan and his family back as an ironic twist, and it also helps promote another story of mine (coming soon). I was debating between her marrying Alex or Bobby Belden.

Oh and just who did Jim marry? And who were the parents of the flower girl? Well, the first one I can't answer, because I don't know myself. In this particular series it could've been any of the Bob-white girls (oh Jim with Honey is just icky!) or perhaps Nicole Sullivan (you will meet her soon...) or maybe some other chick . And as for the flower girl's parents, I'll give you a big hint as to who one of them is: How did I describe the color of the flower girl's hair, and which Bob-white's hair do I describe with that same description? Have you figured it out?:)

So, anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading the saga of the Fraynes, and finally, after so very long, I will leave you with this… "Goodnight! Goodnight! Parting is such sweet sorrow. That I shall say goodnight til it be morrow."

Please review!:)


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